The Doctor’s Pond

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Priestley’s experiments to capture marsh gas were conducted at the pond at Bowood House rather than another pond nearer his house

Sir, I am fortunate in living in the beautiful house that was Dr Joseph
Priestley’s home in Calne, Wiltshire, when he “discovered” oxygen in 1774 (E.
W. S. Dare’s letter, Jan 4). As part of his many experiments,
conducted in his laboratory at Bowood House under the patronage of Lord
Shelburne, he would capture marsh gas (methane) from the pond then at the
bottom of the garden, which became known as the “Doctor’s Pond”. This is not
the pond your correspondent refers to, which is close to the current
vicarage. The Doctor’s Pond has long since disappeared under what is